The Legend of Zelda: part I: Return to Twilight
by Soul of Heroes
Summary: It has been a year since TP and Link is going to have yet another adventure. Will have characters from other LoZ games and Will have Link and Midna later. And as a little twist of my own to make it more interesting, the Hero of Time is Link's father. R
1. The Vision

**HELLO. Just like to say that YES, the Hero of Time **_**is**_** Link's father. I got the idea when I was done finding the Hero's Shade, when he said 'my child.' I know he's probably his ancestor and all that, but I like the thought of them being father-son.**

**Any-who, read and review please. I'd like to know what you think about this.**

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Chapter 1

The Vision

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The lone figure ran down the dark corridor at top speed. What remained of his cloak was the deep cowl that covered most of his face in shadow. The rest of his cloak was burned just beneath his shoulders, revealing the bat-like wings on the young man's back.

Right now the wings were folded against his back. The corridor was too small for flight. What with the low ceiling and the constant turning and stairs going down it would be all too easy to run straight into a wall, or worse, a guard.

The man wore a green tunic covering a chain mail shirt, tan pants and a brown leather gauntlet on his left hand. On his right wrist he had a stiff leather cuff that protected his arm from the bowstring when he shot arrows at his enemies (and being the son of the Hero of Time there where quite a few of those). His soft leather boots made little noise as Link ran down the umpteenth flight of stairs that led to the dungeons.

Exactly what he was looking for there he did not know, but he did know it was something very important to him and he needed to get it, no matter what.

He turned left and found what he was looking for, a heavily guarded door under lock and key. The guards wore jet-black armor and bore heavy shields.

He had the key. And he WAS going to unlock that door.

Link drew his sword.

The Master Sword glowed with a golden light that revealed his threat to the guards and they drew their weapons. But they were too little too late, for Link was already on them and in just two swings he had all six of them unconscious on the dungeon floor. Link would never kill in cold blood so he simply used the Master Sword's power to knock out the six men. But that didn't matter now. Just a little further. He reached for the lock, key in hand. He put it in the keyhole and turned. The door swung easily on its hinges and he moved to enter the cell but a voice stopped him.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Link spun on the spot, and found himself looking right at one of his sworn enemy's.

"Zant," Link breathed.

Zant held out a hand and a black and red ball emerged.

Acting on instinct Link raised the Master Sword and swung it in a downward ark. The sword and the ball of darkness made contact.

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Link woke up with a start and sat bolt upright in his bed; his heart beating rapidly in his ribs, his face and the rest of his body beaded with sweat. He calmed himself by taking a few deep breaths. His eyes scanned the room, lingering on the painting on the back wall. The painting was his own artwork of princess Midna of the Twili. His blue wolf eyes found her ruby red ones. Link had recently taken up painting because of his dreams. And there were quite a few.

He had been having nightmares constantly about the Twilight realm and of Midna over the past week. Dreams of monsters in the Twilight realm, betrayal in the Twilight realm, war in the Twilight realm. All manner of nightmares about the Twilight realm and it was driving him crazy.

"Just a dream," he said to himself. But the golden triforce of courage was glowing on the back of his left hand. It was obviously more than JUST a dream. He rested his head in his hands and sighed. If it was not just a dream then that meant it was probably a vision and that meant that he was probably going to go back into the Twilight realm. He got up and walked over to a table where he picked up a small oil lantern. He lit the lantern and went over to a small cupboard near the back wall. He opened up the cupboard and pulled out a water skin filled with special water from the light spirit Ordona's spring. The spring's water was made from tears of light that stopped the symptoms of visions.

After seeing into the future, Link would get a knotted stomach, and it would tighten until sunrise unless he drank water from a light spirit's spring. But he would remain awake for about another hour, and he needed something to do. So he took up painting. He opened the water skin and drank. The water was good and Link felt the tension loosen in his stomach.

He let out a sigh of relief and moved to his painting easel. He uncovered the painting he had been working on and sat down next to it. This one was of the princess Zelda, who had been a good friend ever since the little 'incident' with Ganon. He was almost finished with it. Just a few minor adjustments and he would be done. He picked up his paintbrush and started to work. He was almost done with the eyes when there was a knock at the door.

"What the…?" he said.

It was probably three thirty in the morning, so who in their right mind would be calling on him now? He got up and went slowly to the door. He was halfway to it when he stopped and looked to Midna's portrait and moved toward that. The painting had a secret compartment behind it. Link opened the compartment and pulled out his sword. It was not the Master Sword, but it was a sword nonetheless. He approached the door just as there was another knock. His hand grabbed the doorknob and, sword in hand, he opened the door. What he saw almost made him drop his sword. Right there. Right in front of him was an inhabitant of the world of Twilight.

"How?' Link whispered. Midna had destroyed the mirror of Twilight, the only way in or out of that realm. Yet here was a twili standing right in front of him.

"May I come in?" the twili said in a high voice. All twili had somewhat high voices. (Except midna. She had, in Link's mind, the most beautiful voice in this world. Or the Twilight world.) Link recovered and showed the twili in.

When the twili stepped into the half-light of Link's lantern, he saw that the twili was a young man. Unlike most Twili men he had a full head of hear, (most of them were bald) and like all twili he wore dark clothing. He wore jet black pants and a jet black half shirt covering all his left chest and arm but revealing most of his right chest and all of his right arm. But he was wearing a black fingerless glove on his right hand just like the one Link had, he noticed.

"I see that you to have a painting of princess Midna," the twili said.

"Yes," said Link.

"You did well on her eyes," the twili continued. But Link interrupted, eager to know why and how the twili came to be here.

"How did you get here? The mirror was destroyed."

The twili simply smiled at him and said, "True."

"How did you get here?" Link repeated.

"That is not important right now," he replied.

"Then what is?"

"Finding the hero of Twilight."

"Well you found him. Now I'll say it one last time. How did you get here?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer you until you tell me what form the hero of Twilight appears as."

"A divine beast," Link said immediately. "Now tell me. How did you get here?"

"I came here by the power of Princess Midna. She told me to find the hero of our tribe and give him this."

_This_ was a rolled up parchment. Link was interested to see the Triforce symbol on the seal. The instant he touched the paper the Triforce seal glowed with a golden light and broke. Link unrolled the parchment part way and saw that it was a sea chart. Only this was no ordinary chart. It had a map of the seas, yes. But at the top right corner there was what appeared to be a prophecy of the Hero of Twilight.

_The Hero of Twilight will appear as a divine beast. But that would not be his true form. He will fall in love with our ruler and she with him. He will come back to prove his love for her and will face himself in a battle of point of view. The battle will decide our fate._

_And their love._

While Link was reading, the twili moved to sit in one of the chairs. When Link was done, he looked up to the twili sitting on an oak chair.

'_Oh great_,' he thought. He knew he loved Midna. And being a perceptive woman, she probably knew it too. But facing himself? Now that had him confused. How could someone face himself? That was just maddeningly unhelpful. Shrugging the thought away he continued to examine the chart. He unrolled it all the way and saw that the chart was made out of circles. He turned one of the circles and could make out small words. They said '_ye hero of Twilight must come by Twilight by sea.'_

'_By Twilight by sea?_' he thought. That didn't make much sense either. He turned another circle and made out more words. These said '_thy world shall be upside down before twilight at Twilight.' _Link decided not to continue and instead ask a few questions.

"What is this?" he asked.

"I don't know. I'm not blessed by the gods so I couldn't open it even if I wanted to. It's been in the royal library for who-knows-how-long and no one has been able to open it because of that seal."

"Why do you need me now?"

The twili toke a deep breath and answered. "Some of Zant's followers managed to break into the palace and get him out of the dungeons. He wasn't dead. We don't know how he could be alive but the princess says it's only a matter of time before they come back to put him on the throne."

Link's eyes widened it the thought of Zant taking over the Twilight realm. The last time he did, he almost destroyed both worlds. "What are we standing here for? We've got to get to Twilight."

"Hold on just a minute. First of all, what was on that scroll?" he indicated the sea chart in Link's hand, "and how are we even going to get back into Twilight?"

Link looked at him in confusion. "You don't know how to get to your own world?" he asked. "You can get out of it but you don't know how to get back in?"

"I told you, the princess teleported me here. To search for you." He pointed a finger at Link. "I risked a lot to find you. There are more than enough of Zant's men to take me down. I'm guessing that piece of parchment is supposed to help get us back to Twilight."

"It's a sea chart," said Link. "I think that means we're supposed to go out to sea."

"No. Really?" said the twili in mock drama.

Link ignored the comment and continued. "So all we have to do is to figure out what this means in order to open up the portal. But I'm no good at riddles so this is going to take some time… By the way. What's your name?"

"My name is Shildow."

"Shildow?"

"Yes."

"Well, Shildow. We'll pack and be on our way." Link rolled up the sea chart and moved towards Midna's portrait.

"Wait. What? Where are we going?"

"To Hyrule castle obviously. Zelda has the triforce of wisdom and she should be able to solve this."

Link opened the secret compartment and pulled out his equipment. The hero's bow. Arrows. The Gale boomerang, the Hylen shield. "What makes you think we can just walk up to that castle and seek an audience with Princess Zelda?" asked Shildow.

"Because I'm the hero of Hyrule as well," Link said. The horse call, the ball and chain, the double claw shot. And the spinner.

"Okay I think we're ready," said Link.

"No, we're not. It will be sunrise in a couple of hours and I won't be able to go with you in the light. I'm sorry but will have to wait until tomorrow."

"What?"

"We'll have to wait until tomorrow night because it will take several hours to get to Hyrule castle. It would take another few minutes to get ME in there and then we have to talk to Zelda and explain everything to her. And then - this is my favorite part by the way - I'll have to get back to complete darkness before sunrise or I'll die."

"We'll wait until tomorrow," Link said.

Shildow smiled at him and got up. "I'll be back tomorrow night," he said. "I'm staying in the tunnel that leads to the Forest Temple if you need more information on this matter." With that he turned and walked to the door, stopping when his hand touched the doorknob.

"Oh, yes, if you want I can wait for you in the tunnel instead."

"I'll get you," Link replied.

Shildow nodded once and stepped out the door. Link looked at the chart and placed that and all his supplies back in the secret compartment. He closed the portrait and gazed into Midna's eyes once more. It had been almost a year since he had helped the princess get back to her realm, and it had been four months later that he realized he loved her. Now was his chance to go to her and prove it.

"Hold on, Midna. I'm coming."

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_Twilight Palace. Throne room_

Zant was polishing his two short swords when there was a knock at the massive double doors. He put the swords in his oversized sleeves. "Come," he said and the doors opened to admit four armed guards. One of them was dragging, by what remained of her robe, princess Midna of the Twili. "Ah Midna, have you reconsidered my generous offer?" Zant said to her with mild interest.

"If you call … serving under a coward … and watching my people die of … hunger generous. No," Midna said in a weak voice. Midna had been whipped and tortured constantly because of her loyalty for her people.

"Very well then. Take her down to the dungeons, Lt. Nyet," Zant said to his Lieutenant of the Guards. They all bowed and left, dragging Midna down to the dungeons.

"She will come to you before the end, my lord," said a voice to Zant's right.

"Did you find the one she sent out?" Zant asked his adviser without looking at him.

"Yes and no my lord. He has gone too deep into Ordon. We cannot find him."

"Ordon?" Zant asked.

"Yes my lord. Ordon."

Zant finally understood what Midna was up to and smiled. "Link," he said. "She has sent Shildow to find Link in the hopes he can defeat me." The smile was replaced with a set jaw and hate filled eyes. "Put plan E-7 into action."

"Yes," his adviser said with a smile of joy.

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**Well, that's another chapter in my book, there will be more chapts later on. Shildow is in my other story 'A Hero's Soul' too, but he was first created in this one, which was written August 2009. Future installments will be coming to Fanfiction as soon as possible.**

**Anyways, see ya later.**


	2. Unexpected Guests

**Here's another part of my long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, (five days later) long, long, long, long, long story.**

**I don't own anything here, only the storyline.**

**Link is nineteen. In this chapter I shall unleash a surprise that will shock you all! Maybe… Some of you will probably not share my point of view on what is to come in this chapter, but you won't be able to see it coming, not for a long shot.**

**And I wish for no flames just because of my little surprise please, but other reviews are welcome.**

**But listen to me babble on all day. Here it is, chapter two.**

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Chapter II

Unexpected Guests

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Link woke early the next morning and jumped out of bed. Now that he was rested he could think straight about his situation. Link was 5'9". He had sandy blond hair. He was skinny but well built from all the years riding horseback, climbing trees, and stopping the goats from escaping the farm (and that certainly wasn't easy). He wore a blue-hoop earring in each of his pointed ears. He moved over to the closet and opened the door. There he put on the chainmaille shirt, his father's green tunic, and the soft leather boots he always wore when he thought there would be trouble ahead. He then took the sword his mentor had made him, placed it over his back and went out the door.

It was a beautiful day, but that made him feel worse. The thought of Midna suffering was tormenting his mind. In his thoughts he could clearly see her suffering all manner of tortures. He looked over to the lean-to where Epona was resting. Epona was Link's horse and she had helped him through many difficult times. He looked to his left and saw a black tail wagging. He dropped to one knee and ruffled the wolf's ears.

"Hello, Fang," he said to the wolf, a large smile on his face. Fang had recently been taken in by Link, when he was coming back to Ordon from one of his missions for the princess Zelda. Link had been riding Epona, deep in thought about Midna and what might have been if she hadn't have left, when he heard a whimper from the trees. He dismounted and headed in the direction of the sound. After a few minutes he found a wolf on the ground in the middle of a clearing. He knelt down to examine the body and found out that the wolf was gravely injured. '_Probably a fight for leadership_,' he had thought. It was just like a wolf pack to fight over leadership. That was how they did it. The strongest wolf in a fight would determine a new leader. Fang was lucky Link came along when he did or she might have died.

He got up and walked to the village, Fang bounding behind him until he reached the village itself, where she hid and prepare to attack anyone who would look to threaten Link.

Not everyone was up yet, but Ilia was, and she was the person he needed to talk to. When Link was asleep his mind worked overtime on the situation he had. He eventually decided to go to Zelda today, and he needed to tell Ilia what he was doing. Ilia had been his closest friend for as long as he could remember and there was nothing he kept from her. Well…almost nothing as he thought of the Triforce of courage that he possessed, and of Midna, of the Twilight realm, and of the fact that his father and he were both once the hero of legend.

She waved at him as he made his way toward her. Link panicked. What was he going to say to her? _So long, Ilia, I'm going to see the princess Zelda so she can help me find my true love?_

'_I am going to die_,' he thought.

"Hi, Link," said Ilia when Link reached her. She was eighteen years old, quite pretty, and the daughter to Mayor Bo. Bo was a rather round figure but also strong. In fact Bo was one of two men to actually beat a Goron in a hand-to-hand fight. Link was the other, but that was a long story.

"Hi, Ilia," he said to her. "I ah…just wanted you to know that I'm going away for a while."

"Where are you going?" she asked him.

"I'm…going to see princess Zelda over a matter of the bandits in the woods." Which was actually somewhat true. There had recently been some bandits spotted in Ordon and Faron woods. Link and Rusl, (his old mentor) had been able to stop most of them, but not all, and they both knew they needed more men, even ones as cowardly as the Hyrule armies. "I've got to do something about it and I thought this would be as good a time as any to see her about it."

There was a flash of light and then a voice. "I thought you were going to find the one you love."

Ilia screamed. Link spun on his heels and saw, to his surprise, a tall, elegant woman in a green and silver silk dress. She had flowing red hair that reached her shoulders, and her eyes were a deep green. She wore a triforce ring on her right hand and Link had a pretty good idea who this was.

"Farore, goddess of courage." Link quickly bowed on one knee, head down. Farore blushed. She wasn't accustomed to being bowed to by anyone. The goddesses tended to keep a low profile when it came to mortals.

Unless they thought they were handsome, of course.

"Get up," she said and Link rose. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" she said to Link as she noticed Ilia.

"This is Ilia. My best friend."

"I'm delighted to make your acquaintance, Ilia," Farore said as she curtsied. Ilia did a small, rather awkward bow.

"Why are you here?" Link asked Farore.

"Isn't it obvious?" came a second voice. This one came from Link's left. He turned and saw a woman in a red and black silk dress.

"Din, goddess of power," said Link.

Din had black hair that reached her waist, her eyes were a deep blue and, like her sister, she was tall and elegant and had a Triforce ring on her right hand.

"We're here to help in the task ahead of you," came a third voice. Link didn't need to look to know it was Nayru, the goddess of wisdom. Nayru wore a simple blue silk dress, and had hazel eyes. Nayru didn't have a ring. Instead she had a Triforce necklace, and unlike her sisters, her blond hair was cut short.

She was the prettiest of the goddesses, Link decided.

"However, Ilia will have to go," said Din with some form of disgust in her voice.

"Come, come now, Din" said Nayru. "You really don't need to sound so bitter just because she's Link's friend and he beat the one you chose."

Din glared at her sister like this was something they had already argued over. Nayru rolled her eyes to the heavens, smiled at Link and winked, who blushed at her beauty.

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Ilia had protested when Link asked her to leave but eventually agreed to go to her house and leave Link with the goddesses. Link then showed them into his house. Din made a small throne for herself made of solid black stone with gold engravings along the edges in ancient Hylien. The other two simply took the chairs Link offered.

"You know, Ilia was not supposed to know I was chosen by you, Farore," Link told them as the three goddesses sat down. "Why are you here?"

"I told you, we're here to help you find Midna," said Nayru.

"Why do you want to help her? I thought YOU were the ones who banished her people." He pointed a finger at the goddesses in turn.

"We banished the ones who constructed a weapon designed to destroy life," said Farore. "You can't blame us for stopping greedy, power hungry monsters." She looked away from him. "We didn't know their descendants would grow to be a peaceful race that would know nothing of greed or anger or hate." She looked back at Link with real feeling for him in her eyes. "I'm so sorry that you feel that way for her."

"I can read the symptoms of love, and with you it's like reading an open book," put in Nayru.

"And so we're bound to help you get her back," said Din. Link got the feeling that she didn't like him very much.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked them.

"We want you to go to the temple of time ruins in the Sacred Grove, pull out the master sword, and save Midna," Farore said.

"But the mirror was destroyed. How to you propose I get in when the mirror is gone?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

"There is another way in, but a Twili will have to be with you," said Farore.

"I know, for a light dweller to enter twilight he or she must have the cooperation of a Twili. But how am I going to get in?"

"You have the way in behind that painting," said Nayru, pointing at Midna's portrait.

"The sea chart?" he asked. Nayru nodded. "How did she know that there was another way in?"

"She probably didn't. It had a Triforce seal on it," said Farore. "She simply put two and two together and thought it would help. She is a smart one, you know."

"I know all that, but that still leaves us with the question, why are you here?" he said.

"I am the goddesses of love, Link," said Nayru, smiling.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"As the goddess of love, and you Farore's chosen," she said, "I must help you."

Link was speechless. Could they help him after all? Of course they could, they were goddesses weren't they? "So what do you have for me?" he asked. It was only logical that they give him something to help him on his journey. After all, they took the trouble of coming to him. Why not?

Farore smiled and slowly raised her arms to their fullest extent. Nayru did the same. Only Din looked as if she didn't want to do this, but she raised her arms too. The Triforce of courage started to emit a golden glow on the back of Link's left hand and he felt a small pain in his back. It slowly grew stronger and he could feel it rising onto his back. He was blinded by pain, but his legs and the rest of his body felt stronger. Just as it reached the unbearable point, it stopped. He opened his eyes. The goddesses were smiling, even Din, but she wasn't smiling at him. He looked down, looking for a sign of change.

"Maybe if you looked at your back," said Farore.

Link looked at his back and gasped. Before this point he had been human, but now there were white angel wings on his back.

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A few hours later, Fado, the village farmer, would come to Link's house and ask for his help, but he wouldn't be there. Link, like his father before him was leaving to save his world from destruction, and find the one he loved.

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**I told you there would be a shocking surprise. So? What do you think? Please let me know, I'm eager to know what you think about it.**


	3. Old Frinds

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**Hey there, Enjoy.**

**Link is left-handed!**

**P.S. The cloak Link wears is just like the ones the Fellowship wear in "The Lord of the Rings," only black.**

_**Chapter III**_

_**Old friends**_

Link rode Epona over the planes of Hyrule in silence. He wore his father's green tunic, the green hat that went down below his shoulders, the leather gauntlet over his left hand and cuff on his right wrist, the somewhat uncomfortable chain mail shirt that took forever to get on under the tunic, the white under shirt, white pants, his black cloak that covered the wings that he was still getting used to, and very comfortable fingerless gloves.

His Ordon sword was at his right side. Because of the wings he was not able to have his sword over his left shoulder. His other equipment was in a magic pouch at his left side. The pouch's magic shrank the items to fit the space in the pouch. His Hero's Bow was in a leather case at his right side. And he had left Fang at the border of the forest.

The goddess Farore's words still rang in his ears. '_The wings are not a part of you so they will transform when you enter the Twilight kingdom,' she had said to him after Nayru and Din had left. '__But they are made of pure energy and that energy will transfer to another when the time comes._' She had smiled at that and winked.

'When the time comes.' The words made Link uneasy.

"_What are you thinking about, Link?_" asked Epona and for a moment, Link was caught off guard. Link had once been a wolf and in that form could talk to animals. With the wolf still in him he was able to sense their feelings and emotions, but with the special bond between himself and Epona he could also understand what she was saying. She could tell when he was lost in thought.

"Oh, I'm thinking about Midna, Epona. I just can't stop thinking about her."

"_It's only natural to be attracted to a woman as nice and beautiful as she is, Link. Just don't think about her when there is something that needs your full attention,_" she said.

"You just like her because she gave you apples!"

Epona laughed. Or whinnied to anybody else's ears.

She was right of course. It was only natural to think about the woman he loved. Especially her flowing red hair, her sunset eyes, her voice, the way she got an evil smile on her lips when she was about to say or do something devious. Epona seemed to sense he was drifting off again and said, in an almost mocking tone that only Link could hear, "_do you want to paint another picture of her while I go save her world?_"

"When I want you to make bad jokes I'll ask, Epona."

Epona laughed again, but to any others who happened to hear, it would sound just like a horse's whinny.

XxXxX

After what seemed like forever, they came into sight of Hyrule castle. Link patted Epona on the neck, careful not to touch her with the hand that had the Ring of Shadow. The ring was rimmed with a shard of the stone with which Zant had cursed him in the hope that he would be stuck as a wolf for the rest of his life. After many attempts (and many accidental transformations into the sacred beast that rested within him), he carved the stone and made what he called the 'Ring of Shadow'.

"Good work, Epona," he whispered in her ear. "We're almost there."

XxXxX

The hooves of the horse rang on the wooden bridge that led to Castle Town. Link pulled the deep cowl over his face as he rounded a bend that he knew led to Telma's bar.

When he got there he dismounted and turned to look at Epona.

"Wait here, Epona. I'm going to get a drink. You want me to get something for you while I'm in there?"

"_No, I'm okay. I just need to recuperate from the trip._"

And saying that, she closed her eyes and started to rest. Link moved to the door of Telma's bar and went inside.

It was just as Link remembered. Soldiers yelling at the top of their lungs with beer in their hands, some Gorons with hot spring water, Zoras with plain water, and the local Castle Town inhabitants enjoying a variety of food and drink.

"Hello there, sir. May I show you to a seat?" said Telma. Her smile was wide and welcoming and Link couldn't help but smile in return.

"No thanks, Telma," he replied. He pulled back the cowl to reveal his face. "I'll just sit at the bar." His smile widened at the look of shock and disbelief on her face.

"Well, if it isn't Young Link," said Telma, the big, welcoming smile coming back to her face. "Sit down, Sugar."

"Thank you," he replied. "So, how are things here?"

"Oh, the same." She handed him a cup of coffee.

"Do you have something a little bit stronger than that?" he asked. She smiled and replaced it with a class of milk. "Thank you." He took a sip of the beverage and smiled. "I was in the neighborhood and I thought I'd stop by." He leaned closer to Telma and said in a whisper, "I'm also here to see Zelda and I think it would be a lot easier of I used the secret passes under the water well."

"IF YOU DON'T STOP THAT ROUGH HOUSING I"M GOING TO THROW YOU OUT AGAIN", Telma shouted over to the other side of the bar where two Hyrule men were starting to fight. Link didn't fail to notice the fear that now came to the eyes of the two men as they settled down. Then in a hushed voice she said to Link, "Why to you need to see her? Trouble brewing? I'll be able to get word to the others in no time at all if I send word now."

"No, no, don't go to any trouble. This is more of a... personal matter I need to discuss with her."

"Alright, but you'll have to wait until everyone else is gone. I can't afford to let anyone see the passes. I close shop about five, so you'll have to wait another hour or so."

"Alright, I can wait another hour. I'll see you then." Link got up and put five rupees on the counter.

"Why are you going? Wouldn't be much easier to stay here?" she asked him, "And you haven't been here in so long."

"I suppose so," he admitted. "But I have to put in some practice for the journey ahead of me." He smiled as he thought of his first attempt at flying. He had fallen flat on his face. The second and third tries were no better. It was only on his sixth attempt that he actually flew, for about five seconds, and he landed on his feet on the tenth attempt. Now, he was ready for Zant.

He hoped

"Alright, I'll be right here if you need anything, Sugar."

"Thanks, Telma. Keep the change." And with that he pulled the cowl back over his head and walked out the door.

XxXxX

After about an hour of flying practice (at which point Link thought he was getting pretty good at soaring like a bird), Link and Telma stood by the doorway to the secret passage into Hyrule castle.

"Thanks, Telma," Link said to her. "I won't forget this."

"Never mind, sugar," she said. "Just let me know if there is anything you need."

"Thanks again." He started to climb into the secret passage. But he stopped, still feeling like he needed to repay the favor.

"Look, Telma, if you want, I can help out around here for you..."

"Oh, no," she interrupted. "I just want to know something, then we can call it even."

"Sure, name it."

"What is that bulge on your back?"

'_I shouldn't have opened my mouth,_' he thought.

Telma was not prying, but she wanted to know what was going on and when she wanted to know something she usually found out.

"Alright," he said more to himself then to her. "Just don't scream." With that, he grabbed the clip that held the cloak around him, unclipped it and pulled.

The cloak fell to a bundle on the floor. Link spread his wings so Telma could get a good look at them, but what she did surprised him.

She smiled and walked around to the secret passage. There, she turned to face him and laughed.

" 'Personal matter', you say?" she laughed.

"You're not scared?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"Honey, I have seen many things out there in the world. I've seen monsters who speak Hylien or Zorion. I even saw a half Goron-half Zora once. If you want to be rid of those wings, or if you need something else from Princess Zelda, I don't care. After all, we are old friends!"

Link stood in shock, not at the fact she wasn't freaking out at his wings, but at the thought of a half Goron-half Zora child. Now THAT would be something to see. After a sew seconds, Link smiled too and gathered up his cloak and put it around himself once again.

"I'll see you around then?" he asked. Telma nodded.

"You're welcome here anytime, Sugar."

Link adjusted the cloak so it wasn't uncomfortable and walked into the passage. He stopped and turned around to say one last thing. "If you see Rusl, tell him I'll be gone awhile." She nodded and waved him off. Link smiled, turned, and walked down the passageway.

XxXxX

It took him half an hour to reach the end of the tunnel and arrive on the grounds of the castle. With the wolf in him he could sense the guards before they came into view. He moved from cover to cover, keeping to the shadows, not wishing to make himself known. He moved to the west end of the grounds. From there he could see the main conference room; too high to climb, but a walk in the park for something, or someone, with wings. Last year, after Midna left, he had stayed at the castle a few days and, simply through his wolf instincts, learned every corner of the castle and its grounds like he know his own home. He folded his cloak back so it looked more like a cape with a hood, spread his wings and took off.

Link could feel the wind on his face as his wings took him higher. The guards didn't see him as he climbed towards the conference room. It's amazing how many people don't look up, he thought when he was only a few feet from the window. He reached the window without any problem but hesitated, his wings creating a steady beat. It would be rather strange if someone's face just appeared in a sixth story window. But the chances of there being a meeting now were almost nonexistent, so he pulled himself up over the landing.

"You know, there's a door for a reason," said a voice.

Link nearly lost his balance as the voice caught him completely off guard. He screamed and managed to save himself from falling by clinging to the windowsill for dear life.

Zelda couldn't help herself and laughed.

"What's so funny about nearly falling to my death?" he asked.

The Princess did her best to stop laughing. After a few deep breaths, she was able to do so.

"The look on your face. It was priceless." Zelda then began laughing again.

"Okay, I get it. It was 'funny'," Link said. She continued to laugh. "Right, Zelda! Funs over! Seriously, do you like it THAT much when I do something embarrassing?"

"Oh, yes." The smile she wore easily reached her eyes. Link just stared at her.

"Anyway," she said, still wearing her smile. "What brings you here?"

He looked her in the eye and used one sentence.

"The Twilight sent me." The smile vanished from the Princess of Light's face.

XxXxX

****

**Author's note: Just so you know, I don't like the stories where Link can do anything with little or no practice whatsoever. That's why I told you about his first few attempts at flying. I mean, come on, he gets the wings and all of a sudden he takes to the skies? No way.**

**But anyway, until next time (whenever that is).**

**And I'm also VERY sorry for the ridiculousness in the lateness of this chapter.**


	4. The Way In

**Does Link have wings? Asked the reader.**

**Yes. Replied the author.**

**Is he a natural at flying? Another reader asked.**

**Not at all! I said.**

_**Chapter IV**_

_**The Way In**_

Shortly after Midna had left the Light World to lead her people into a new life of peace, Link and Zelda devised a simple but effective code that would let the other one know if they had found out something concerning Midna, or the twilight realm, without arousing panic from the people. There biggest conscern would be if Zant were to take control again. If Link were to say, for example, 'The Twilight sent me', it meant that Midna was in danger, and they were the only words that would need saying. Zelda had horridly shown Link to her sleeping quarters where he brought her up to speed.

"So, tell me again, how can Zant be alive? You said that you and Midna killed him," said Zelda after Link had finished filling her in with all the details. She was lying down on a couch with her arms back, resting her head.

"I'm not sure, Zelda," he replied, "but if he hurt her in any way, he's a dead man"

Zelda sat up on the couch and moved over to grab a drink from the table next to it. She sat back down and gave one of two full glasses to Link. Link closed his eyes as he drank.

"Alright, I'm in."

Link's eyes shot open and he spat out the liquid, "What?"

"I'm going with you!"

"No you're not, the Twilight realm is dangers!"

"You're point?" she said smiling.

"Look, all I need is this thing salved." He showed her the sea chart Shildow gave him.

She unrolled it and started to read, her eyebrow went up as she read the story of the Hero of Twilight.

" 'Facing yourself in a battle of point of view', huh?" she said with amusement in her voice, "That's a new one."

"Just tell me how to get in," he said.

"Okay. So," she said, "You have to go out to sea to get to twilight"

"Yes, but how do I get in?"

"Well…I think you'll have to tip the ship over at twilight, to get to twilight."

"Pardon?"

Zelda rolled her eyes and explained farther, "When twilight comes, and you are on a ship you tip it upside down, capsize the ship so the masts are under water, in order to enter the realm of twilight."

Understanding dawned on Link's face, "Sooooo, all I have to do is get a ship?"

"All WE have to do is get a ship," Zelda said, lying stress on the word 'we', in order to tell him that she was going with him.

"You're not coming with me!"

"Yes I am."

"No, you're not."

"Yes."

"No"

"Yes.

"No."

"You can't deny that you'll need me."

"Can't I?" he said and he pulled off his cloak to revel his wings. "I've got what I need for this journey."

"How could you if I don't go with you?" she said with a smile.

"Well, for one thing I... ah, have a friend who... Fine," he said in defeat, "just don't say anything to Midna about my feelings for her okay?"

"If I know her like I would like to believe I know her, she already knows, but, okay," she agreed. And they shook hands to seal it.

"Now that you're coming with me and Shildow, you better start packing, we have to meet him before sunset to make the most of the darkness."

"I'll be with you in a few minutes." She turned to go to her closet when Link remembered the vision.

"Zelda?"

"Yeah"

"Do you have a cloak that would fit me?"

"Um... I have a black one that might."

"Perfect," he smiled "I'm gonna need that."

XxXxX

About an hour later, Link was leading Zelda to the spot where he was going to meet Shildow.

"Are we there yet?" Zelda moaned, for perhaps the hundredth time.

Link groaned and answered, "Do you see a tall, pale man with pale green eyes ahead of us?"

"No."

"Then we're not there yet," he said without looking around.

"But this is taking forever," she moaned.

"You're not used to walking in the forest are you, Princess?" said Link, turning to face her without ceasing his strides.

"Like you said, I'm a princess, not an Ordona boy." She sat down and took of her shoes, rubbing her feet, "Can't we take a break?"

Link looked at the sun's position; there was probably half an hour of daylight left. "Alright" he sighed, "But for ten minuets only."

They then rested, Link took the first watch in order for Zelda to rest her feet, Epona had scouted on ahead of them before they left on Link's orders to warn them if there were any bandits on the trail.

But you never know with bandits.

Ten minutes later they started walking again, Zelda started moaning and complaining again after eight minutes that the wolf in him wanted to bite her head off. But he fought the urge. It was starting to become unbearable when Epona suddenly galloped towards them.

"What is it Epona?" asked Link as he ran over to meet her. '_Anything would be better then listening to Zelda's moans and complaints,_' he thought.

"_I saw Shildow, he's in trouble,_" she said to him, all Zelda heard was a whinny.

'_I stand corrected._'

"We have to hurry," he said, mounting Epona. "He's the only one who knows the twilight realm inside and out.

Lead on Epona." Link said as he drew his sword.

Epona got up on her hind legs and bolted foreword, kicking up dirt as she reached full gallop in a manner of strides.

"Oh, gee, I feel so 'adored' by my people!" Zelda said sarcastically as said dust hit her in the face.

"Now, how is he in trouble?" Link asked the mare.

"_That evil Twili dude's men almost have him cornered,_" she replied.

"Great... Faster, Epona," he urged.

It was almost over for Shildow, as seven of Zant's men closed in for the kill. "Leave him alone," Link yelled as he and Epona came into view. Zant's men turned to see the one who interfered with their job. Link swung his sword down on the first assailant as he and Epona shot past. There was an audible "thump" as he crashed down to the ground. He whirled around, and charged the second and third one. They were no different, landing with a large thump as they hit the dirt. The remaining four thugs were not so keen to be caught in the crossfire of the charging youth, they started tripping over one another, and running away. Link made a final pass and got three of them, leaving one untouched, so they could tell the tale. Link stopped, dismounted, and moved towards Shildow, unconscious on the ground.

"Shildow," he said, "Shildow, if you're dead I don't mean to disrespect you, but if you're alive you better talk to me right now!" Zelda came running around the corner, clutching a stitch at her side and breathing heavily, out of breath.

Link examined Shildow, he saw weapons that he had never seen before, two six-inch-long sticks with sharp tips at one end and small feather fletching on the other could be seen in Shildow's side and back, Link would have thought they where arrows if they weren't so short.

"What the heck are these things?" he said to himself.

"What…the heck…happened…Link?" Zelda panted.

"They found us," he replied.

Shildow gave a weak stir and Link set him down.

"Stay with him, Zelda, I'm going to get the Master Sword," he said, "If anyone comes…" He took off the sword over his shoulder and gave it to her, "Use this." He mounted Epona and took off in the direction of the sacred grove.

XxXxX

Epona ran like a maniac towards the master sword's resting place, Link held on for dire life as the tree's zipped by, she only broke her manic pace when the forest cliff appeared and Link had to climb from that point on.

"Epona... you go back and aid Shildow and Zelda as best you can," Link instructed her. "I'll fly back as soon as the Master Sword is with me." And with that, he started to climb down to the first ledge, He stopped and looked back up, for you never know when there might be an onlooker. "Get going!" he shouted to Epona as she reluctantly turned and started back up the trail.

XxXxX

**Hope you liked it.**

"**Marry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" the Author sang to the readers :)**


	5. Heads Up, Readers

**I've got bad news but I'll make it quick. Because of studying for maybe the biggest thing I've done so far (And the fact I have about 11 other books to read) I will not be writing, reading, or reviewing any stories on Fanfiction until I have finished at least two of my projects.**

**But if you REALLY want me to continue writing this story before that point I require at least seven signed reviews.**

**I apologize for this and I hope to be done with everything else very soon. Although most of you have most likely read this before, I am not one of those writers to leave a story unfinished!**

**Until I am ready to surface again, I am the Soul of Heroes, saying farewell!**


	6. A Teacher's Gift

**Okay, so I have trouble sleeping one night so I decide to check my account. Would you believe me if I said I did not get a single email for any of your reviews? So imagine my shock to find you guys actually care about this story. I am so sorry for keeping you guys.  
**

**I'll do my best to get this story up and running again!**

_**Chapter 5**_

_**A Teacher's Gift**_

After ten minutes of climbing, and then running, Link came upon the Temple of Time Ruins. The temple had been destroyed long ago and the forest eventually consumed most of it, leaving only the swords two stone guardians and the sword itself unharmed.

"Right," he said, and he moved towards the Master Sword's resting plaice.

The sword was made from a fine metal and the hilt was a light purple with a phoenix wings design as a hand guard. The blade was beautiful and surprisingly light in weight, reflecting the light like a jewel under its first sight of sunlight. Below the phoenix's outstretched wings on the metal were three small golden triangles forming a larger one, the Triforce. The sword rested in a small stone pedestal with another Triforce symbol engraved in it.

The sword sensed his presents and seemed to glow in anticipation. Link walked towards the sword with equal eagerness and grasped the handle. Immediately the golden light of the Triforce of Courage lit up on the back of Link's hand, and a familiar sense of excitement ran throughout his body.

With one mighty (and possibly overactive) pull the Blade of Evil's Bane rose from its stone bed and released a wave of light, seeming to banish every shadow that dare cross into its presence.

Link raised the Master Sword high above his head with one hand and he felt the weight vanish as if it weren't there, but the light remained to give warmth. "Glad to have you back," he said. He marveled the weapon for a few moments before hearing something behind him.

The many occasions of dungeoneering informed him of what was happening before he turned around to see the stone doors closing.

Link ran.

Within his first few long steps he knew he was not going fast enough. In panic of being trapped he pulled back his cloak, spread his wings and took flight. For a moment time seemed to slow down, giving Link an angelic look as his white wings and silver blade shone with a bright, radiant light. He dived just before the doors closed and landed face down on the ground; the Master Sword still in his hand.

He grunted to his knees and looked behind him, the door to the sword's resting place was fully and truly closed.

"That was a close one, Link" said a voice from above him, Link looked up and saw a man of about mid twenties in a green tunic and a green stocking cap that went down below his shoulders just like Link's.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The man smiled warmly and held out his hand. "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you," he replied.

Link took his hand and stood up. He was only a few inches shorter than this new man, but the similarities between them were striking to say the least, his blond hair was a shade lighter than Link's and his eyes more of a light blue than Link's darker blue, and he had a light mustache and little bit of beard on his chin. But his ears, attire, posture, even the shield on his back looked similar to his own.

"Why can't you tell me who you are?" Link asked.

The other man chuckled. "Because if I did you would have far too many questions than we have time for. Just know that I am here to help you in your quest. And when we do have time I will more than gladly tell you my story."

"Why do you want to help me?"

"This is kind of what I wanted to avoid here, you know. I'm helping you because I helped you in your last quest, and as your teacher of the hidden skills I will help you here and now. Do you accept?"

"You're the…?" Link was about to say.

"Do you accept?" he interrupted. His face had changed from a cheery one to that of more urgency.

"Yes! Of course! What is it that you are here to teach me?"

The man, or Hero's Shade, smiled and beckoned him to the center of the clearing. The two stood on opposite sides of a large circle where another large Triforce could be found etched into the stone. The Hero's Shade pulled out a dark, rusty blade seemingly from thin air into his left hand and raised it to rest his head upon its hand guard, his eyes closed.

Link stood in confusion. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"For this skill, you must understand that with or without meaning to every weapon has a soul resting inside of it. Be it a memory of someone while forging it, or the passion or desire of the smith taken form." A white mist surrounded the two, blocking out all other forms from the outside, rather like that of the Sacred Realm. "This time I shall not teach you the skills of using the sword, but the skills of letting that sword's will free." The Hero's Shade's left eye opened.

Link's breath caught for a moment. Instead of the inviting and calm blue he had noticed before, this time the Hero's Shade's eye was a harsh and cold red, glowing with power and command. He took a step back and the mist surrounding them thickened. The Hero's Shade's leather bound arms glowed gold for a moment before the light solidified into a pair of golden gauntlets.

"Listen to your sword, Link," he said. "Listen to the trapped soul who aided you in defeating the darkness."

Link did as he was told, or at least tried to. He placed his head on the hand guard of the Master Sword and closed his eyes. But he couldn't hear anything. The longer he stood there, the more he felt the urge to open his eyes but he kept them closed. He wanted, no, needed to know this secret of the sword!

He paused in confusion for a moment, no matter how hard he tried now he couldn't seem to hear anything. Before he wasn't sure if it would come as a psychic connection like Midna's had been while she was trapped in a shadow form, but he couldn't hear ANYTHING from the outside world. Not even his own breathing.

He opened his eyes to see nothing. The white mist was still there, but the Hero's Shade wasn't. Neither were there any indications that anything had been there at all.

Link spun around with his sword raised. Odd, he could have sworn the weight had vanished from the blade. He looked at it more closely and watched as it turned dull, rusted, and fell to purple and red ashes on the ground.

Panic set in and Link starting breathing faster. He tried to back up, but his feet were frozen in place. He was briefly reminded of the time at Lanayru's lake with his vision of the Fused Shadow. Trapped in a place not his own and unable to do anything until it all went away, only to have something painful stick with his soul for many nights to come.

His heart slowed down with the touch of a hand placed upon his shoulder. He couldn't turn is head to face the unknown person, but judging from the size of the hand and how lightly it rested on him he was going to guess it was a woman behind him.

"You've grown up haven't you, Link?" Link was right. It was a woman. Her voice was soft and lined to be filled with some sort of sadness, and at the same time relief. "You look so much like your father, it's almost scary."

"Who are you?" Link asked, her statement completely going over his head. She giggled at this, sending a warm tickle of his own relief through his heart.

"Silly boy, I'm…"

Link listened intently, but his vision was becoming blurry. The mist was mixing with the trees of the Lost Woods around him and the voice of the comforting woman was becoming muffled. Within a few seconds the Hero's Shade was slowly coming into shape in front of him and Link's knees were growing weaker, the feeling of the woman's hand was the last to leave him.

Link fell to his hands and knees, his wings spreading out beside him. He was panting hard. The Hero's Shade offered his hand again. "Not bad at all," he said with a warming smile.

"The sword, she," Link began, but was cut off again.

"She has a name. Did she tell you her name?"

Link looked down in shame. "She was about to, but she faded out before I could hear her." Link accepted the Hero's Shade's hand and stood, his legs still a little shaky.

"That's okay, I was told by my teacher that most people can't hear their sword at all the first few times they try." The Hero's Shade's eye had returned to its 'normal' blue color and the sword he had been holding was now gone.

Link looked at the sword in his hand. It was still there. The small dents in the handle, the scratches from constant battle, the dust from the ground, and the pure metal that made it feel alive were all still there in his hand.

Link sighed in relief.

The Hero's Shade laughed. "She'll come around again, I promise. Though I don't recommend trying that until you can stand without trying not to fall over."

Link returned the smile. "Thank you, Master." He bowed. "Will I see you again on this quest?"

"Hopefully not. But if you need my help, or you still wish to know my name, then we will. That reminds me." He turned around and pulled out what looked to be an ocarina from his pouch and put it to his lips. With a few short, beautiful notes a small glowing blue light began to take form in front of him.

The Hero's Shade turned to face Link again. "This is Navi," he said. "One of my closest friends and loyal companion on my journey."

The ball of light stopped growing in size and diminished to reveal a five-inch tall blue fairy. Navi.

She had long blue hair that covered her otherwise naked breasts, much like that of the Great Fairy; wide wings that flapped quickly like those of a hummingbird, blue skin and a white leaf-like skirt that went down to her knees.

"_Hey_," her voice was high and cheerful, and matched her appearance as free going in spirit.

"Navi, this is Link, you'll be taking care of him on his journey to save the princess," The Hero's Shade explained to her, the largest smile yet plastered on his face.

Navi scuffed, crossing her arms. "_Another one? I swear, these princesses need better guards to protect them, we won't be able to save them all the time_," she said. Within seconds she flew around the Hero's Shade's head and squealed in joy. "_When do we start_!?"

Link laughed, almost doubling over.

"Right now," the Hero's Shade answered. "Take care of him, Navi."

Navi saluted the Hero's Shade. "_Yes sir_," she said before diving over to Link. "_If you don't mind, I am going to be resting inside your hat whenever you don't need me. Which isn't going to be that often, I hope you know_."

Link nodded and Navi flew up to sit on his head.

"Now I must leave," the Hero's Shade said.

"I understand," Link replied.

"Navi, you take care of..."

"_I know,_" she cut him off.

"I meant yourself." The Hero's Shade waved farewell and slowly faded away, only a blue ocarina remained on the ground where he stood.

"What's this," Link said to himself.

"_That is the Ocarina of Time,_" Navi explained, "_It was your father's favorite tool back when HE saved the world._"

Realization very slowly dawned on Link's face. "Wait... Does that mean that he was?"

"_Yep,_" she said. Grinning widely.

Link grabbed the ocarina and yelled out. "You sneaky son of a bitch!"

Navi chuckled to herself. "_Just like him,_" she said quietly. "_Skinny, fit, handsome, and dumb as a board._"

With one last confidant gaze towards the heavens, Link twirled the Master Sword and sheathed it in the magic scabbard which suddenly appeared on his back before spreading his wings and taking to the sky, catching Navi off guard and sending her and his hat to the ground.

"_Hey!_" she screamed. "_You forgot me! Link! Hey! Hey, Listen!_"

XxXxX

**So, Navi's here now. You know we're gonna have fun with that idea.  
**

**Anyway, I won't be able to bring these next few chapters out quickly, mostly due to school. I have no editor anymore, so I'm sorry for any misspellings in here. Thank you so much for reading, and I'll see you next time.**


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